Yikes! Some scary moments in the early moments Wednesday in Brazil’s capital. A large fire tore through the roof of Rio de Janeiro’s Olympic Velodrome on Wednesday. Thankfully, the cycling track inside remained unharmed, officials said.
The blaze broke out at 4 a.m local time. It prompted around 80 firefighters and 20 fire engines to respond, according to the state’s military fire department. Fire crews worked both inside and outside the venue. The focus on controlling the flames and protecting artefacts in the Olympic Museum housed within the velodrome.
No one harmed
No injuries were reported, and authorities confirmed there was no risk of the fire spreading to other parts of the Olympic Park.
Rio de Janeiro Mayor Eduardo Cavaliere said a preliminary inspection found the track “intact and well-preserved,” though he did say, it would need a bit of TLC and maintenance before it could reopen, obviously.
Canada at the Rio Games
The velodrome was created for the 2016 Olympics. There, the Canadian women’s team pursuit squad won a bronze medal. The quartet consisted of Allison Beveridge, Jasmin Glaesser, Kirsti Lay and Georgia Simmerling.
The track has faced roof fires before. In 2017, two separate incidents, linked to falling sky lanterns, caused damage to the structure.
Feature photo: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Rio2016_maio_ParqueOlimpico_Barra_06.jpg
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